It’s odd what NVIDIA is trying to pull here with an Android handheld gaming device. Speaking of gaming does anyone remember the OUYA ? The console that was supposed to revolutionize the Android gaming market and gaming in general was a novelty that’s quickly faded. Thanks to Android’s open ecosystem, you can have your gaming experience, if not the best kind of games to run with, right in the comfort of your own phone or tablet device, making the purpose of a dedicated android gaming device quite redundant. The Shield Portable is something of a calculated risk that NVIDIA’s tried to do. It combines the familiar gamepad controls with eight button, dual analog sticks and a multi touch, retinal screen. Running stock Android 4.4 Kitkat, as of last year, powered by the Nvidia Tegra 4 processor. It also serves as one of their core products in the Shield Lineup preceding the 8 inch Shield Tablet which in my opinion stands as a perfect android tablet to use.
What’s the reasons for getting the Shield Portable ? A multi media touch device, couple with gaming controls and the functionality to stream PC games to the Shield on the go. It does seem to have a lot going for it but does it really match up to the price you’re going to be shelling out for it? It costs around $199, quite bulky and game streaming is limited to you having a PC with a nice Nvidia compatible gtx card which makes the shield portable something more of an accessory for the PC gaming enthusiast with a flair for mobile gaming. Here’s more on Nvidia’s bizarre little toy.
Table of Contents
Design
Build
If appearances are anything to go by, the Shield Portable is heavy. Just over 500 grams, it’s heavier than the 3DS and Vita put together, however it does give the Portable a solid durable build. It’s also quite comfortable, depending how you look at it. It’s your run off the mill xbox controller schematic but with a built in flip screen which gives you a sense of the Portable’s size and shape. The flips screen when closed covers the main controls expect the shoulder pad button
